Arturo Falaschi

The mind and driving force in the founding and development of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology,Arturo Falaschi was ICGEB Distinguished Scientist from 2004-2010, Director General of the Centre from 1989-2004, Head of the Trieste Component of ICGEB from 1987-1989 and Group Leader of the Molecular Biology Laboratory from 1987 to 2010.

Teaching Activity

2004-2010, Professor of Molecular Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore SNS, Pisa 1988-2001, Co-ordinator of the Graduate School of Molecular Genetics, International School of Advanced Studies SISSA, Trieste 1978-1984 Director of the Graduate School of Genetics, University of Pavia 1966-1979, Professor of Molecular Biology, University of Pavia

Scientific Activity

Numerous and important scientific contributions in the field of replication studies of DNA in mammalian cells; a research theme and personal passion that distinguished Falaschi's scientific activity from the time of his return from the United States in the ‘60s. He developed procedures to isolate neosynthesized DNA generated from the activation of DNA replication origins in mammalian chromosomes and established an innovative method for origin mapping. Thanks to these technological advances, he identified and characterized the Lamin B2 origin of DNA replication, the first human origin known in molecular details and now considered a standard in the field. Also intense was his biochemical activity in the field of DNA metabolism, particularly concerning purification and characterization of human proteins with helicase activity. His international scientific works featured in the most prestigious journals in the field of molecular research number over 130. He remains one of the few international researchers whose scientific activity is documented throughout almost fifty years (from 1962 to 2010).

Research interests in later years were articulated along the three main lines: i) Regulation of human DNA replication at the molecular level: identification of the origins of DNA replication and of the reactions occurring therein that lead to the initiation of bidirectional synthesis; ii) Human DNA helicases: isolation and description of the DNA unwinding enzymes present in the nucleus and identification of their possible role in origin or growing fork function; iii) Methodologies for gene therapy: developing conditions for the production of AAV-based vectors in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae; use of yeast-derived proteins to enhance the frequency of gene targeting in human cells.